lightweight sleeping bag for vietnam

My daughter is going to Vietnam and Cambodia in July, and I need to get her a sleeping bag as light as poss.

I'm a bit flumoxed here, as I usually look at bags for Scotish winters.

looked at th Snugpak 'Travelpak lite'as it has a bilt in mosquito net too.

 Anyone got any ideas??

Gary

Cheers Rob

Was thinking synthetic as it;ll be monsoon season when she goes.

Will look at the Marmot though.

Gary

I would go straight (if I could afford it) to PHD's lightweight bags. Piquolo, minim, minimus or whatever.

I must admit that I'm a keen down fan.  I use sleeping bags for work,  and I sleep where I can when I can. Often in difficult war-torn places.

But I've never ever in the whole of my life lost a down bag to wetness. 

It may happen but it hasn;t happened to me yet, and I sometimes feel that the dangers of wet down may be exaggerated.

Down is wonderful stuff.

I'd go with it if I were you

( or one of your daughters)

Where is she going in Vietnam and Cambodia?

I lived in Cambodia in the early 90's and can't imagine needing a sleeping bag for the vast majority of places, unless of course, she is going to the Vietnamese highlands?

I'd look at the temperature, Cambodia average is 27/8 and highs are 35. Unless she's going to the highlands then maybe a liner rather than a sleeping bag? I remember sleeping under a sheet only for most of the year only turning the ceiling fan off in January. 

Will she be camping or staying in guest houses? Most places will provide a mosquito net but a single one from someone like lifesystems is pretty light and packs up small.

Hi Gary

I grew up in Southeast Asia and completely agree with cathyjc. There's no need for a sleeping bag if your daughter isn't venturing into the highlands (e.g. Chiang Dao, in Thailand), especially in July when it's really quite hot. I'll second cathyjc in recommending a cotton/silk liner at most. Almost all budget guesthouses and backpacker lodges in Cambodia and Vietnam will provide proper bedding, unless she's doing volunteering and her basecamp is fairly basic, so she may not even end up using the liner at all.

Hope this helps!

M

Only time you need insulation is in the mountains or if the air-con is turned up on the coaches.

Thanks folks,

She's going on an expedition with her school, part ofwhich involves some camping.

I don't think she particularly needs insulation hence going for synthetic rather than down (it'll also give ME a summer bag for wild camping here), but the company that is taking them (World Challenge) have put it on the kit list.

Gary

I agree with those who say all you need a bag for is in the mountains during that time of year and that's not a "given" all the time---although, getting wet in the monsoon season can leave you with a chill so a synthetic filled "liner/blanket" of some sort may be handy to wrap up in if one stays/gets wet for any period of time.  If she'll be there in July plan on it "bucketing" down at least 50% of the month on a daily basis. 

Dan S. 

The light Snugpak one will be fine. A sleeping bag with a liner (silk if it is within your budget) would be great if in the hills, in hostels etc etc Though you may be able to get away without I would not want to have nothing and the Snugpak one is as close to nothing in weight and volume as is sensible.

(Caveated to say that my travelling and experience on that sort of thing was mostly Central America but been elsewhere in Asia too.)

Hate to disagree about a bag liner but silk, if it gets wet, is exactly like cotton, very difficult to dry, especially in high humidity weather. If you feel you need a bag liner (you shouldn't) get a synthetic liner.

 I'm married to a Filipina that I taught with during my Peace Corps days back in the '60s in Mindanao, P.I. so I know the humidity in S.E. Asia gets very high and stays that way for many days. Synthetic clothes are THE way to go. Plus you can wash them yourself and they can dry in your hotel room - no need for ironing.

Ben was in Yorkshire wrote (see)

 A liner would always be on my list and want I would encourage for those I take with me.

Again, personally, as ben affirms, a synthetic liner of some sort is very applicable in these conditions for all the reasons he articulates in his post.  I've found the same to be true.  

Dan S.

Big Dawg wrote (see)

During my time in various jungles I've only ever used a gore tex bivi bag, if you don't mind popping on a layer now and again. But if you're not on hard routine for two weeks at a time then that might not be suitable

I hadn't thought of a GorTex bivi bag.  I too have spent time in jungles and would have welcomed that type of bivi bag at times as long as it's not too warm.  If one hasn't spent time in any monsoons there is no way to adequately describe the intensity of the rain.  If you can stay dry i.e. with a bivi bag, if expected to be in the rain, that would be a big plus.

Dan S.